Tearing away
by ProjectMelody
Summary: Claire Redfield promised, swore to her brother, Chris, that she would visit him during her next summer vacation. It was the summer of 1997, when true to her word, The Brunette girl arrived in Raccoon. If only she'd known that the summer she would spend there, would cause her so much grief... A Wesker/Claire pairing, with a side pairing of Chris/Jill. Rated: M for language.
1. 1: Welcome to Raccoon

**A/N: Yes, I am completely new to the amazing world that is: FanFiction. I really do appreciate that you have decided to give my Fic a go, so I thank you, random stranger...or perhaps I should say _strangah_! (In a rather merchant like voice.)**

**As this is my first FanFiction, constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated, as well as gobbled up hungrily in order to improve chapter two. **

**Anyway, I shall keep you no longer, enjoy! :) **

* * *

The cool air whipped past Claire's face, blowing her brown pony tailed hair in pretty much every direction. She pulled at the throttle of her Harley, with her gloved hand and increased her speed. Her Jeans now in unison with her hair, flapping wildly as the wind rushed past her. Her watch annoyingly informed her that the time was just coming up to nine in the evening.

"_Curse you Redfield_." The brunette scolded inwardly, not only was she two hours late meeting her brother, she had been in such a rush that she had forgotten her helmet, and the cold air that settled on her bare arms, informed her of the absence of her biker jacket too. She had always been rather forgetful, but this was ridiculous!

"_You're late, you're freezing your ass off and you're pretty much breaking five laws. Nice going, dumbass._"

The Harley's engine rumbled as she passed a sign informing her that she was ten miles from Raccoon city: The home of Umbrella. Claire sighed, and let the nostalgia of her home town flood her mind. She and her brother had grown up in Raccoon, but when she'd turned sixteen she had to relocate to Clearwaters, a neighboring town of Raccoon, and the home place of her current college. Claire winced at the memory of her brother's face two years previously, when she'd told him she was moving out.

"Claire, you can't be serious! Clearwater's over thirty-five miles away!" She remembered the desperation in his voice as he pleaded with her to stay in Raccoon, and skip College; just get a job. But Claire had made her mind up, she had a passion for art and literature, and she was going to pursue the two subjects, no matter what.

"Chris, I'll come visit every break I get, I swear!" To be perfectly honest, her passion for learning wasn't the only thing that motivated her to move out of her childhood home, Claire was sick of sponging off her brother.

Ever since the two siblings' parents lives had been stolen by that _stupid_ car crash: Chris, at just the age of sixteen had pretty much brought Claire up. She remembered her twelve year old self, breaking down in Chris's arms when they received the news, Chris holding her as she half screamed at the agony she felt. Since that terrible day Chris had become her rock, he was still her goofy big brother, sure but he was always there for Claire when she needed him, emotionally, financially, hell he'd even watched her crappy Barbie cartoons with her. Claire couldn't do it anymore though, while she was grateful for all Chris had done, she couldn't let him sacrifice any more of his own life for her sake. She wasn't finding it easy, supporting herself through college, but she was managing, somehow.

Claire's thoughts were interrupted by the sign approaching fast on her right, welcoming her to Raccoon: The birthplace of Umbrella. Even though it was just a sign, Claire couldn't help but feel like it was too bloody cheery. Yes she was in Raccoon now, but she was still two and half hours late. Her Harley slowed as Claire's blue eyes settled on the neon Emmy's sign on her left; she had been riding for nearly two hours now, and her cold arms and numb ass were practically begging her for a break. She swerved her Harley into the parking lot of the cafe, with only one thought on her mind: Coffee.

Claire settled herself into a booth and placed her hot coffee down onto the table in front of her, creamed with way to much sugar; Claire wouldn't drink it any other way. The cafe was pretty much empty, except for what looked like a couple, sitting a few rows down from her, and some pretty bored looking waitresses. The brunette rummaged in her jeans pocket until she found what she was looking for. Pulling out her phone, she cursed herself again: two missed calls from her brother. She hit the call back button almost immediately and took a sip of her coffee as she prepared her apologies.

* * *

Jill valentine had never been so exhausted in her entire life. Resting her hands on her knees as she bent over to catch her breath, her voice husky as her lungs gaped relentlessly for oxygen. The woman couldn't help but feel a pang of rage at Brad Vickers. It wasn't the poor bloke's fault, but Vickers' screw up had cost the whole team pretty damn big. Brad hadn't completed the standard number of laps that morning, so their Captain insisted that the whole team was to do double the required laps at the end of their shift; Bloody Sadist!

She glanced up at her team mates through her hazy vision, gladly noticing that she wasn't the only one who had stopped running. Barry Burton and Joseph Frost had both stopped to catch their breath, Joseph's usual cocky grin replaced with a grimace. Brad was leant over, much like she was, although the man was shaking slightly. The only member of the Alpha team that was still running on the track was Chris, and Jill couldn't help but smile at this. Chris Redfield's determination was admirable; she just wished it was contagious. In Jill's opinion Chris was by far the most physically fit member of the team, not counting the captain of course. Jill's smile disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, replaced with a scowl as she thought of Captain Wesker, the asshole who was making them do all this damned running. Jill shot a look over at Wesker, the man wearing his usual detached expression as he observed his team's progress. For the life of her, Jill valentine couldn't fathom why he was still wearing his sunglasses when the sun had clearly fucked off. It was well gone nine at night, darkness encompassing the RPD's outdoor training facility, and Jill wondered if the man could even see that most of his team was slacking off.

Evidently, however, he could. With what Jill guessed was a look of irritation, she couldn't be sure: his damned expressions all looked the same and those infernal sunglasses didn't exactly help, the captain signaled for the team to have a break, a short one knowing him, but a break none the less. Jill let out a breath as she stood, regaining her composure, she wasn't exactly unfit, but running for almost a full straight hour had definitely taken the wind out of her. As she sauntered over to the nearest bench, Jill smirked at the idea of '_conveniently_' forgetting that the captain didn't take creamer in his coffee: it was her week of fetching the morning coffee rounds, and as small as her little plot was, it succeeded in entertaining her... That was until she realised that he would probably just send her back out to get another.

Jill allowed a small sigh to escape her lips as she sat down, her aching muscles thanking her. As the woman closed her eyes, and rested her head against the wall behind her, she realised that she was definitely going to feel this workout tomorrow, no doubt.

The S.T.A.R.S Alpha team had been under Wesker's command for almost a year now, and as good a captain Jill knew he was, he was a tyrant when it came to discipline. As much as she loved her teammates, Jill often found herself wishing she was part of Bravo team, the second division of S.T.A.R.S, still officially under Wesker's command, but the Bravo team had a much more lenient co-captain: Enrico Marini. But then, The Bravo's were basically the little sister of the two divisions, mainly sent out on minor jobs or recon missions. Jill was proud to be a part of the Alpha's, who were usually on the front line of the action.

As footsteps approached her, Jill's eyes shot open and she was quickly dragged away from her thoughts. Her blue eyes settled on Chris's form, gently jogging towards her.

"_Christ_, how much stamina can one man have?"

Jill noticed that his green tee barely had any sweat marks either, whereas her light blue tee was practically stuck to her. She shifted her position on the bench, allowing Chris room to sit beside her. Jill gave the man with a half smile as he sat next to her, but Chris only returned her a small nod, a look of concern on his boyish features, as he withdrew his phone from the pocket of his grey sweats. Jill sighed, her expression now mirroring his concern.

"Still no word from her?" The female cop asked, already knowing the answer.

Chris shook his head, staring at his phone as if mentally willing it to ring. Jill had only known the man a year, but the two had become fairly close in that short time, nothing more than friends, but close none the less. Jill knew he was awaiting a call from his sister, Claire, she was coming down for her summer vacation from college and Chris was supposed to meet her at seven... which wouldn't have been a problem if the captain hadn't decided to keep them an extra two and a half hours to run a bloody marathon.

"Why don't you try calling her again?" Jill's tone was soft, as she offered the advice.

Chris shook his head, more violently this time, as he changed his composure to sit upright, his hazel eyes meeting Jill's blue.

"No, she could be driving. I don't want to distract her, she could..."

A look of understanding spread across Jill's fine features as Chris's speech tapered off. Chris had told her what happened to their parents, one night when they were investigating a crash site. She remembered how unnerved Chris had seemed during the investigation, and was a little shocked that when she'd asked what was wrong, he'd told her everything. Chris was usually a joker, a boisterous, brash sort of guy and seeing that sensitive side of him was so unexpected, it had thrown her off a little. Jill knew that it was since then, that she had found herself wanting to get to know Chris more.

The look of worry in Chris's hazel eyes was heart-wrenching, and Jill found herself placing a hand softly on his arm.

"I'm sure she's fine." Jill allowed a small pause before continuing.

"Heck, it's practically a little sisters' job to worry their big bro." Jill was pleased when this statement got a small smile from Chris, making her smile too. They shared the gaze a few moment's longer, Jill noticing how Chris had made no movement to remove his arm from her grip, before Joseph's loud voice interrupted.

"When you two are done eye fucking each other, the captain wants our asses back on the track."

Jill's hand dropped, as she turned sharply to see Joseph, his trademark grin now back in place.

"Well you might want to make yourself scarce, Joe, before I save you the bother of walking, and kick yours onto the track." Chris told him, mock serious, as he stood up, beginning to stretch.

"That's real witty, Redfield." Joseph smirked back "But you might wanna' save some of that wit, for wooing Jill."

Before Jill could add her own opinion, the banter was firmly cut off by Chris's ringtone. Chris's hand moved at the speed of light, answering the phone before it could ring a second time.

"Claire!" He greeted, his voice sounding relieved, angry and worried all at the same time.

"I tried calling, and when there was no answer..." Jill heard as Claire cut her brother off, probably to offer an explanation.

"You've only just got to Raccoon?" Jill couldn't help but smile; it seemed no concept of time was a trait that both the Redfields shared.

No, I'm not home, Claire. The captains breakin' our backs right now, he's got us doing extra laps till ten, you'll have to let yourself in, you remember where the spare key is right?" Joseph nudged Jill and beckoned toward Wesker, who's patience looked as though it was waning, and quickly. As Joseph began making his way to join Barry and Brad on the track, Jill saw the captain beckon for the two of them to do the same. The female turned, giving Chris a pleading look, a: Please don't make the captain any angrier with us than he already is, look.

"Listen Claire, I gotta' go. _Drive safe_, okay?" He returned the phone to his pocket before he and Jill began their jog back to the track; towards the increasingly pissed off captain.

"You know the protocol, Redfield: No personal call during work hours." Wesker stated, his voice as smooth as always.

"Sorry, Captain." Chris replied through gritted teeth.

"But considering that it's two hours past our standard quittin' time, I figured it was okay." Chris finished, his Jaw clenched.

Wesker's hand found its way to his sunglasses as he straightened them, Jill still unable to fathom why he was even wearing them.

"It would appear to me, Christopher that you have a problem with the methods of discipline I have applied to my team, tonight."

Chris's fists were now clenched in unison with his jaw.

"A small one yeah... I don't see why just because Vicker's screwed his exercises up, the rest of us should be punished for it."

"This unit is a team, Redfield." Wesker drawled, as though explaining something to a child. "If _one_ screws up, _everyone _screws up. I know it must be difficult for you to understand, Christopher, seeing as how you've always been a rather self involved individual, but the methods of discipline I practice, only prove to aid the Alphas, keeping them working as a team."

Jill felt her stomach clench, Wesker was deliberately getting Chris's back up and she knew it. "_Don't do it, Chris_." Jill pleaded inwardly. "_Just stay calm...Just take a deep breath and..."_

"Bullshit!"

Jill sighed inwardly. "_Well, shit."_

"You're just a sadist, Wesker, and your methods of discipline only aid the Alpha's desire to shove a boot up your ass!"

Wesker sighed, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"I do believe your temper will cost your team _dearly_ Redfield."

The captain shook his head as he continued. "You're little outburst just added an extra thirty minutes to tomorrows track time."

Jill saw a look of dismay form on her fellow team mates' faces, and she herself wasn't feeling overly thrilled at the prospect.

"Bullshit, Wesker! You can't..."

"Forty-five." Wesker countered, all traces of humor now gone from his words.

"And I would remind you to watch your language in future, Redfield, if you don't wish to suffer the consequences. "

Jill looked on at her colleagues, Barry and Joseph wearing a look of hatred for Wesker, Brad practically shaking at the thought of the extra track time, and Chris... Chris looked as though he was about to punch the captain. Jill's eyes widened as she feared what was about to happen, but was instead shocked by Chris's statement.

"I'll take it all, everyone's track time. Don't punish them on my behalf."

"Chris, I don't think you were listening." Wesker smirked, amusement once again evident in his voice.

"And I do loathe repeating myself." He continued as he took a step towards him, making his four inch height advantage over the brunette more obvious.

"This unit is a team, if _one_ screws up, _everyone_ screws up. As chivalrous as your request is, Redfield, it only shows me that you truly don't understand that principle."

The blonde captain allowed his smirk to widen slightly before continuing.

"Perhaps making it a full hours worth of track time for everyone tomorrow, will serve as a reminder."

_Fuck _what Jill had said about staying calm, right now nothing would satisfy the woman more than seeing Chris punch that stupid smirk right off their _sadistic_ captain's smug face.

* * *

Claire's thoughts ran through her mind rapidly, almost in keeping with the current speed of her Harley as she sped towards Racoon's police department. The corner of the brunette's mouth twitched upwards in annoyance, as she thought of the overtime Chris was being subjected to. Surely Chris's boss didn't think that keeping them all until ten was acceptable! Hell she wasn't even sure it was legal...

"Yeah, Claire... A bunch of police officers aren't sure of their legal rights! Just focus on the road, genius."

The younger Redfield's mind had reeled when she'd heard that Chris was being subjected to over three hour's overtime. Chris often mentioned the ridiculous discipline that their captain: Albert Wesker, put him and his team mates through, fueling a rather deep hatred for the man in Claire's mind.

Claire glanced at her watch, increasing her speed further as she realised it was almost ten. She wanted to reach the RPD before it shut; the Redfield sibling had a few choice words for Chris's boss.

As her mind ran through a few phrases she had prepared, and chose which curse words she deemed acceptable to yell at a total stranger, she couldn't help but grin; oh how she_ loved_ a debate. Claire's head was sharply pulled away from her thoughts as she veered her bike harshly to the left to avoid the animal that had just run out in front of her.

'_Shit_.' The word escaped Claire's lips in a whisper as her bike slowed to a stop. The girl's heart thrumming loudly in her chest as she hoped to hell the poor creature was okay. She was pretty sure it had been a dog, at least... it was shaped like a dog although she didn't think she had seen any fur on the creature. Claire had only seen the animal for a few brief seconds in her headlights, but she couldn't shake the feeling it didn't look... right. The woman kicked up the foot stand of her Harley and stepped off, Claire began her search for the animal; if it _was_ injured or possibly sick, she couldn't just leave it.

Claire tried to remember what she had seen, what it was that gave her an eerie feeling about the animal. Not only did it have no fur, she could have sworn its skin was...bloody, almost hanging from the animal. Claire's stomach lurched as she considered what pain the poor thing must be in, and when the girl's search ended in failure, she figured her best bet was to report it at the R.P.D, they could refer the claim to the local vets, who would probably know what treatment the animal needed. That was if she reached the building before it shut, her little detour had cost well over five minutes, leaving her just ten minutes to make the twelve minute drive.

Her mind made up, Claire mounted her bike once again, continuing towards the police station.

"_God damned, crapping shit biscuits_." Claire cursed as she stood in front of the locked iron gate of the R.P.D. "_Typical, sodding Redfield luck."_ Claire couldn't suppress the moan that forced its way out of her mouth, as she stomped her foot in desperation.

'I'm afraid the police station _just _closed ma'am."

Claire jumped, not knowing there had been someone nearby; she turned quickly, trying to find the owner of the velvety smooth voice...which she was pretty sure had a British accent. Her Blue-Gray eyes finally settled on the form of a man, standing to her left by a black Jaguar. Claire's eyes adjusted, as she blinked rapidly, taking in what she was seeing. The man was wearing black jogging pants, and a tight navy blue tee, that showed his athletic body off, rather well, actually. Claire blushed as she realised where her thoughts were headed. The brunette realised just how tall he was as he began to walk over to her,_ nice_...Claire had always liked tall men.

"_Redfield, keep your damn hormones in check, shit he's staring at you... say something!" _Claire swallowed.

"Oh." Was all she could manage.

"Is there something I can assist you with?" The blonde man asked her, his silky voice, washing over Claire, caressing her ears.

"_Composure, Claire, Composure!" _She cleared her throat.

"Actually I was hoping to find my brother, Chris. He's with the S.T.A.R.S Alpha team...he was a little late home and I uh..." Claire's speech faltered as she began to regret coming at all, her brother probably wouldn't have appreciated her coming down and yelling at his boss, hell he'd probably of ended up getting fired. "_Pesky Redfield temper!" _Claire could feel her cheeks glowing red as she realised how reckless she had been. The brunette felt her brows furrow, taken aback by the man's sudden silence, as he... "_Is he checking me out!?" _Claire felt slight panic creep into her chest, as she recalled that the man had never actually introduced himself as working at the Police department; for all she knew, he could be a psychopathic killer!

"You must mean officer Redfield."

Claire felt herself let out a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding. Good, he was an officer; he wasn't planning on brutally murdering her.

"Yeah, that's him." It was strange for Claire to hear her brother referred to as Officer Redfield, it was always just Chris to her. "You know him?" She asked, a friendly smile spreading across her features. "_Maybe, my luck is picking up, standing here, talking to a smoking hot police officer, a tall one too, lucky me." _Claire's inner school girl was on a high as she awaited the man's reply.

The blonde man before her paused, before a small smirk pulled the corner of his lips up.

"Captain Albert Wesker, of the S.T.A.R.S Alpha team." He purred, as he extended a hand.

"_No, No way!" _Claire felt her eyes widen in shock, her lips parting slightly as her smile faded. "_This can't be Wesker! The man is...way too young!" _The way her brother had always described his captain, left Claire with an image of an overweight, middle aged creep, all wrapped up in a pair of sunglasses, Chris often mentioned the captain's sunglasses, or rather, where he'd like to stick them. Claire realised she'd been gaping at the man for a fair while now, His gloved hand still extended. The woman gathered herself, deciding to ignore the outstretched hand.

"I've heard a lot about you." Claire offered instead, a slight edge to her voice. Wesker's smirk only deepened as he withdrew his hand slowly.

"I expect you have." The man agreed, his voice as smooth as glass.

"Though, as I'm sure you are aware, your brother has a certain tendency to exaggerate, so I would advise you take any tales you have heard about me with a pinch of salt."

Claire felt anger seep inside her; it looked as though she was going to get her argument with her brother's boss after all.

"I can tell you right now, my brother doesn't have a tendency to exaggerate damn well anything! And while we're on the subject of my brother, he certainly doesn't deserve_ half_ the punishment's you give him; I'll have you know he's an excellent police officer!" The Redfield sibling only felt her anger intensify as Wesker merely looked amused by her words.

"I cannot deny that brother shows exceptional skills in the physical fitness category of police work, but I cannot pretend that it makes up for is lack of concentration, organisation or ability to think for himself. Christopher doesn't seem to realise that there is an intellectual skill also required with this particular career. I believe your brother would have fared better seeking employment in the military, a soldier perhaps.

Claire's insides were practically boiling, was this man really expecting to stand here and call her brother a dumbass, without getting a slap?

But before Claire could retaliate, Wesker took a step towards her.

"Now, Miss Redfield, as much as I would love to continue to stand here, discussing your brother's incompetence, it's getting late. I suggest you allow me to escort you back to your residence." Wesker spoke the last part, almost as an order.

"Escort?" Claire echoed, her brow knitted in confusion.

"I'm offering you a lift, Miss Redfield." He explained, impatience evident in his tone. Claire's frown deepened.

"I've got my bike." She told him, gesturing towards her beloved Harley.

"Which I noticed, you drove here on without a helmet, or any protective clothing." He stated sharply, as he turned to open the passenger side door of his Jaguar.

"I would hardly consider myself a competent police officer, if I allowed you to return home, violating six traffic laws in the process." Claire shot daggers at him, silently cursing herself for forgetting her biker gear.

"I'll walk." She countered, deciding her pride was worth a three mile walk. She heard the blonde man sigh as he drummed his fingers against the roof of the car.

"As much as I do not care what opinion your brother forms of me, I find it highly doubtful he would forgive me for letting his teenage sister walk home at night, alone."

Claire faltered. As stubborn as the Redfield girl was, she decided he was right, Chris would probably be mad at her too, if he knew she'd walked three miles at night for the sake of her pride. Sighing, and hating herself for allowing this to happen, she accepted Wesker's offer, slipping in through the open door of his car.

As Wesker shut her in, circling around the driver's side, Claire's brain suddenly started working. "_Is...is he going to report me?" _Claire's insides suddenly filled with an icy dread. The brunette remembered that she _had_ broken the law, driving without her safety gear, and realised she was now firmly trapped in the car of one of the city's highest ranking police officers. Claire couldn't afford to lose her licence_; _it was the only thing allowing her to remain independent. The woman tried to calm her breathing, as she decided she would try to play it cool. She shot a look over at the captain as he entered the car, starting the engine in one swift movement. "_Maybe Wesker will let it slide, seeing as I'm Chris's sister...Ah who am I kidding_?" Claire Redfield decided, rather confidently, that she was screwed.

* * *

**A/N: I really do hope you enjoyed, folks! Drop me a review if you did, or even if you have some criticism to share with me. So long as it's constructive criticism and not just mindless flaming. Only Alexia can get away with mindless flaming. ;) **


	2. 2: The home of Umbrella

**A/N: Yes! It feel's great to have finally finished this chapter, I was struggling with it a little but after re-writing it a couple of times, I think it's finally okay. :) **

**Thank-you to: _Evelyn Mercier, admiralsarah, MeanieFace_, and _Zulija_ for your reviews! Hugs, cookies and gold S.T.A.R.S for you, you lovely people. ^^**

**Also, thank you's are owed to everyone who favorited, and followed. I hope the upcoming chapters don't disappoint. I shall stop gushing now, and let you read...**

* * *

The smell of leather invaded Claire's nostrils, relaxing her slightly as she settled back into the passenger seat of Wesker's car. The brunette closed her eyes, allowing the scent of the car to wash over her. The feel of the leather on her bare arms was strangely comforting, reminding her of her favorite biker jacket. Unable to take the quiet anymore Claire decided to focus her hearing on the engine, the soft purr breaking the silence somewhat. The only time Wesker had spoken was to ask her address, and that wasn't exactly a_ riveting_ conversation.

"_Yeah well, it__'__s better than him reading you your rights, Claire so just be grateful_."

This was just perfect. It should have been obvious that the _one and only _time she forgets her helmet, she would end up locked in the car of Albert _god damned_ Wesker – one of the coldest officers at the R.P.D. _  
_

The car slowly came to a stop as they approached a set of traffic lights, and with the engine practically silent now, Claire decided enough was enough.

"You know..." The brunette began as she turned to face him, determined to break the silence.

"It's pretty stupid to be wearing sunglasses at night, _whilst _driving." Claire felt her stomach knot as Wesker turned to face her, his features expressionless. She could feel her mouth going dry as he kept his gaze focused on her, still silent.

"_Okay, scratch that. I preferred it when he was ignoring me.__"_

The brunette watched as Wesker's gloved hand traveled up to his sunglasses, his fingers curling around the plastic. Claire's breath caught in her throat as he finally removed them completely, revealing the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, locked on to hers.

"Better?" The blond man asked her, his voice a low growl; amusement present in his eyes. Claire felt like a rabbit caught in the headlights, unable to look away as Wesker's stare bored into her, giving the girl goose bumps. Claire's eyes searched the ones before her. In spite of herself the brunette wondered why he would want to cover his eyes, silently deciding they're the most remarkable she has _ever_ seen - Sapphire blue, with the tiniest hints of green. Realizing how long their gazes have been locked, Claire finally decided to submit, feeling her cheeks flush red as she looked away.

"At least now maybe we won't crash." Claire mumbled, her gaze focused anywhere but Wesker. She heard him emit a soft chuckle as he released the handbrake, the car passing the now green traffic light.

Claire felt herself begin to relax a little, seeing as how Wesker had not mentioned anything further about her little law breaking fiasco. As she stared out of the passenger window, her thoughts traveled back to the animal that she had almost hit. Remembering how ill it had looked, Claire figured she should tell Wesker what she had seen.

"_Yeah, because your last attempt at starting a conversation ended so well!__"_

Claire sighed, deciding that the animal was worth another bone chilling stare, the poor thing was probably in agony right now, and Wesker _was_ a police officer; if anyone would know what to do, it was him.

"Uh, hey..." Claire faltered, wondering what to call him. Officer seemed too formal so she settled for calling him 'Wesker.'

"Hey, Wesker..." She paused, waiting for a sign that he was listening. When she didn't get one, Claire decided to continue anyway.

"There was something I wanted to report at the R.P.D, but couldn't...what with it being closed and all." She tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"On my way over to the police station, I think it was just by Craven road, I almost hit this animal, it was..."

"Driving without a helmet or any protective clothing, _as well_ as a near hit and run incident." Wesker tutted, a smirk playing on his lips.

"My, my, dearheart, it would seem you have a talent for committing traffic offenses."

Claire's stomach flipped.

'_Did he just call me...dearheart?__'_

The brunette shot a nervous glance over at Wesker, her heart beating wildly.

'_He__'__s patronizing you, Claire.__'_

She took a steadying breath, deciding to ignore what he'd said.

"May I enquire as to how you even _attained_ your license?" Wesker asked in his usual silky tone. "That is assuming you have one."

Claire closed her eyes and mentally willed herself to stay calm.

"Yes, I have a license!" She half hissed.

"Look, I just wanted to report the fact that the animal looked seriously ill." She said, wanting nothing more than to change the subject.

"The poor thing had skin hanging from it for chrissake!" Claire calmed herself before continuing.

"I think it was a dog, or a wolf or..._something_."

Claire didn't notice the recognition that flashed across Wesker's face, nor did the girl notice the way he narrowed his eyes, annoyance present in them for less than a second.

"And you say you saw the animal_ where_?"

As Claire repeated where she had seen the animal, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders; the animal would probably get the care it needed. The young Redfield girl was glad that Wesker was taking her seriously, he'd even asked for a more accurate description of the animal. If someone was to tell Claire that they'd seen what looked like a skinned dog, with blood and flesh hanging from it she'd probably have thought they were crazy. Wesker however, seemed to think she was perfectly sane.

'_Yeah, or he__'__s just humoring you.__'_

"Did you have any contact with the creature?"

A sigh came from Claire's lips, as she recalled her unsuccessful search attempt.

"Unfortunately, I didn't. I did stop to try and find it, but no luck."

As Claire glanced out of the window, she noticed that they had just pulled into her road. Her heart leapt as she realised she was almost home.

"You're certain of this, Miss Redfield?" Wesker asked, his voice calm.

"From what you have described, it seems as though the animal may have had an extreme case of: MRSA - A highly infectious Zoonotic disease, which when passed onto humans, if undetected and untreated, often results in death."

Claire was appalled at how aloof Wesker sounded as he informed her that she, and possibly others could be infected with a disease that was fatal.

'_Heartless bastard.__'_

"I honestly couldn't find it."

As Wesker neared hers and Chris's home, Claire's thought's unavoidably returned to her license. The brunette was overjoyed that he still hadn't mentioned it, but she couldn't help but question why. Captain Albert Wesker was renowned for being a cruel cop, taking pleasure in _every _criminal he caught.

'_So why hasn__'__t he just reported me already?__'_

Claire thought of how condescending he had been throughout the whole journey, calling her dearheart, and belittling her.

'_He__'__s toying with you, Claire.__'_

Claire felt anger creep into her veins as she decided that Wesker was waiting for her to speak up, her brother was a police officer after all; it was obvious that she knew the law. The brunette also knew that any police officer that concealed a crime, no matter how little would be at risk of losing their job. Claire decided that enough was enough, and as Wesker pulled the car into the driveway of her home, Claire turned to face him. She could at least prove she had a backbone.

"So how's this going to work?" Claire asked, her voice steady.

"Should I come down to the police station tomorrow, or are you going to tell me that the R.P.D will contact me?"

The brunette felt her temper increase as Wesker merely raised an eyebrow at her words.

'_Is he seriously playing dumb?__'_

"I committed an offense! I know how this works; you're an officer for crying out loud, if you don't report me then your job's on the line." Claire's words came out rapidly, her cool facade now dropped. The brunette watched as Wesker replaced his sunglasses, his expression impassive.

"Your license, Miss Redfield."

Claire sighed, as she removed the plastic card from her pocket, placing it in Wesker's outstretched hand. She waited, feeling her heart beat wildly with nerves as Wesker examined her license.

"Well, Claire…"

Claire's stomach flipped yet again. Hearing Wesker use her first name was almost as strange as hearing him call her 'dearheart.'

"Since this is your first offense, I believe I can let you off with a warning."

The dread that had once been settled in the brunette's stomach vanished at Wesker's words. Claire let out a relieved sigh, only to have to have the dread return as she heard Wesker's next statement.

"I will however, need to inform your brother of tonight's events."

'_Aw, crap!' _

Claire watched as he stepped out of the car, and began to make his way over to Claire's door.

'_Chris is going to kill me. Chris is going to kill me.'_

The words chanted in the brunette's head repeatedly as Wesker opened the passenger side door for her. Claire Redfield stepped out of the car, wishing Wesker had just revoked her damn license instead.

* * *

"_God dammit, Claire!" _Chris Redfield inwardly cursed his sister as he took out his phone, punching in her number.

When he'd arrived home Chris had noticed straight away that Claire's bike wasn't parked outside, and when he'd let himself into the house, his suspicions had only been confirmed: Claire wasn't home.

He glanced at the bag of takeout that he'd picked up on the way home, growing cold as it sat on the kitchen counter.

'_She should be back by now.' _

Chris hit the call button and brought the phone to his ear. As the man listened to the dial tone, his mind wandered.

'_What if she had an accident? Claire could be lying in a fucking hospital bed right now, she could be in a coma, she might even be…'_

A knock at the door interrupted Chris's thoughts. The man returned the cell phone to his pocket, heading towards the door. Relief washed over his features as he opened the door to find Claire on the other side.

"Claire!"

The worry Chris had felt disappeared as soon as he saw that his sister was okay.

"Claire, where were you? I was starting to…" His words were cut off as he noticed who was standing beside her.

"Wesker?" Chris asked, confusion plastered on his face. The older Redfield sibling looked back over to Claire, who was currently biting her lip, unable to meet his questioning gaze. She motioned for Wesker to step inside, much to her brother's displeasure.

Albert Wesker, the man who had made Chris's life a living hell, was currently standing in _his_ living room. _Chris didn't like it._

There was a rather awkward air to the room, as the three of them stood silent.

'_What the hell is going on?_' Chris shifted, uncomfortably aware of his bosses presence. He couldn't take the silence any more, he had to say something. He stood up straight, took a breath and was beaten to it by Claire.

"Can I get you a drink, Wesker?"

'_A drink?' _What the hell was Claire playing at, she'd brought the devil himself round, to play tea party?

"What's going on here?" Chris watched as Wesker ignored his question, instead turning to Claire.

"Coffee. Black, no sugar."

* * *

Albert Wesker's coffee was terrible. It was instant coffee, he was sure of it. The drink was cheap, bitter and contained within a Batman mug. However, despite it's taste and presentation, it was still coffee. He downed the last mouthful, needing the caffeine to kick in soon, the man knew he would get no sleep tonight.

Wesker had always been a workaholic, and when his employers - Umbrella Inc - had offered him an additional job role, as well as his current two, Wesker had jumped at the opportunity.

Umbrella had needed someone from their company to act as a double agent: Taking on a role within the police force, relaying any important information to Umbrella, and steering any police investigations away from the company. The promotion would also come with a cash bonus, as well as a raise. Wesker hadn't taken the job for the money however, he accepted the promotion under the guise of being interested in the money, but truthfully he had taken the job In order to further his own gains. Not only did the job grant the agent access to any classified information, it would prove to aid Wesker in executing his long term plans. And so, Albert Wesker: Chief researcher and head of Security at Umbrella Inc, became, Albert Wesker: Captain of the S.T.A.R.S Alpha team. He saw this job as a means to an end, a passing nuisance that he would not allow to interfere with his _real _job.

Wesker eyed the Redfield siblings before him, the two of them still engrossed in their trivial argument. He couldn't deny that the displeasure his words had caused Chris, when he'd explained about Claire, hadn't amused him to begin with, but the inane debate that was still taking place was proving to be rather tedious. Wesker turned to Claire and handed back the Batman mug.

'Wesker, I…"

Wesker waited for the brunette to gather herself, the brief screaming match that she and her brother were just a part of, had clearly shaken the girl.

"I just wanted to say thank you for the ride, and I'm really sorry you had to see my brother and I fighting."

Claire's cheeks were flushed, the girl was clearly embarrassed by the night's events.

"Not at all." Wesker replied, waving his hand in a dismissive motion. In truth, the man _was_ mildly annoyed. It was hardly Claire's fault that her brother didn't have the patience or the manners to wait until Wesker had left before berating the poor girl. Yet here Claire stood before him, apologizing for her brother's inconsiderate behaviour.

'_Admirable.' _

Wesker extended his had, pleased that Claire accepted it this time.

"Have a pleasant night, Claire."

Wesker waited as Claire wished him the same, a small smile present on her tired looking features, before he turned to face her brother.

"Christopher." The man acknowledged, taking his phone from his pocket.

"Do _try _to be on time for work tomorrow." And with that Wesker turned to leave, not waiting for a reply.

**William, considering that escaped B.O.W's are directly linked with my job role, I would have preferred to have been informed of the incident sooner. I will be arriving at the laboratory shortly. **

**-A.W**

As he sat in his car, awaiting conformation that the text he'd just sent had been received, Wesker noticed that his car felt slightly different. The man frowned, trying to ascertain what it was. It was Claire, or rather her scent. The usual smell of his car had been contaminated with the young girl's fragrance - something akin to vanilla infused with Lily. The feminine odour had mixed with the usual leathery smell of his car, along with something else, a fragrance that Wesker couldn't quite put his finger on, a fragrant scent that was exclusively: Claire.

**Message delivered.**

Claire's scent encompassed Wesker as he deleted all evidence of the text from his phone. The man started his car and began heading towards Umbrella's underground laboratory.

Wesker stalked one of the many corridor's of the underground facility, his combat boots making dull echoing thumps as he headed towards the research offices of the Umbrella labs.

The man had decided to go home first, showering and dressing in tomorrows work outfit, before coming to the labs. The detour had cost him almost an hours worth of time, but he had decided it was necessary. Wesker was all too aware of the paperwork an escaped MA-39 or 'Cerberus' generated, and he calculated that he would be spending the entirety of the following night, stationed behind a desk. Considering that the R.P.D was practically on top of the research labs, Wesker figured it would be far more convenient to go to work tomorrow, directly from the laboratory.

The blond man swiped his key card into the electronic card reader and waited as the doors opened, revealing a rather frantic looking William Birkin on the other side.

"Albert!" Birkin exclaimed, by way of greeting. The man had a worried look etched on his face. Wesker eyed the array of scattered papers that covered the surface of the desk that Birkin was currently leaned over - most likely an incident report on the escaped B.O.W.

"Status update." Wesker enquired, moving to collect the papers from William's desk. He awaited Birkin's reply as he skimmed through the files, a few phrases jumping out at him.

'**Two researchers deceased as a result of the escaped MA-39.' 'Last spotted by Raccoon forest, exact location unknown.'**

"It's killed a civilian." Birkin's tone was anxious.

"A teenage girl was killed before Umbrella could capture the damn thing, now the police are involved. I just know it's gonna' be all over the news by tomorrow…We're finished." Wesker observed as Birkin ran a hand through his ruffled brown hair, clearly distressed. Did the man really believe that acting in such a hysterical manner would help the situation?

"I _am_ the police, Birkin," Wesker explained, sitting down at the nearest computer. "You needn't worry." As he began writing his reports, Wesker sighed inwardly, he would have to pay another visit to the Redfield household tomorrow, to get an official statement from Claire. The Redfield girl would most likely feel grief at the knowledge of the murder, expressing her sorrow in some over-emotional form, which Wesker was not looking forward to; The man _hated_ drama.

"You're planning on staying here all night, aren't you?" Birkin asked.

"Yes."

"When was the last time you slept, Al?" Wesker sighed inwardly at Birkin's words. The man had allowed himself a few hours sleep three days ago, which in his opinion was sufficient.

"Monday." The sleeping pattern of the blond man had become a topic the two researchers discussed frequently, much to Wesker's annoyance. Even with his back to Birkin, Wesker could practically see him shaking his head, why did his sleeping habits bother the man so much.

Wesker watched through the reflection of his monitor as William gathered his things, making to leave.

"Just try not to overdo it, okay?" William's tone was caring, but it still annoyed Wesker, as if he needed advice from Birkin. The blond man merely grunted in response; focused intently on his paper work.

Albert Wesker worked long into the night: correcting the mistakes of incompetent Umbrella workers. As he typed the reports, the blond tyrant silently swore that he would find the _useless_ employee's responsible for this mess and make them pay, _dearly._

* * *

**A/N: As always, Criticism is welcomed, especially as I had some trouble with this chapter - something still feels off about it. If anyone knows or has any idea what it is, please let me know.  
**

**I hope you enjoyed chapter two. :)  
**


	3. 3: Beginnings

**A/N: sorry this took a while, but I had some trouble with the various points of view - I think it's okay now though.**

**Again, thank-you's go out to: Zulija, Evelyn Mercier, Ultimolu, AdmiralSarah, Lady vava, LittleVamp, Haveyouseenmyghost and finally: 'guest.' -thanks to each and everyone of you for reviewing, you fantastic humans, you! :) **

**Anyway, may I present: Chapter three.**

* * *

The soft light filtered in through the half opened curtains of Claire's bedroom window, illuminating the room in a soft glow. Claire stirred from her slumber as the light settled her closed eyelids.

"Nuergh."

The incoherent sound that came from the brunette was followed by an even louder one as she noticed just how early it was. She groaned, rolling over and burying her head in the pillow.

'_Half past seven, screw that.'_

Claire Redfield had never been a morning person, in fact she might even go as far to say that she would like nothing more than to _eradicate_ mornings. Waking up disorientated, missing out on good dreams, annoying chirpy birds.

'_No thanks.'_

She had to hand it to Chris, A seven o'clock start for work every morning would kill her, yet even though Claire knew Chris wasn't exactly a morning person either, he still managed it. The brunette let out a contented sigh as she realized that sleep was once again beginning to embrace her. Claire drifted lazily back off to sleep, only to be awoken again by a knock at the door.

'_Who the hell would be knocking at this hour!?' _

The young girl rubbed her eyes wearily, coming to the conclusion that it must be her brother. Chris was fairly forgetful and the fact that he was knocking meant he could only be here for one reason: He'd forgotten his keys.

Claire dragged her half asleep form out of bed, the second knock convincing her that she didn't have time to get changed, her pyjama shorts and vest top would have to do, it was only her brother after all.

The young girl bounded down the stairs, fairly annoyed at her brother for waking her up. Claire let out a yawn as she reached for the door handle.

"You know what, Chris-" She half yelled, deciding that the door wouldn't obstruct her from lecturing her brother.

"Wesker was right about you…" As she opened the door, Claire's eyes grew wide realizing that the man standing before her was definitely _not_ her brother.

"O…Officer Wesker!" Claire stammered, taken aback by his presence.

"I thought you were Chris."

There was a small silence before the man replied.

"Clearly." Wesker's tone was amused as he gestured toward her outfit. The young girl felt her face flush. Claire hid most of herself behind the door, embarrassed at just how much of her body was on display. As she stood, her body now shielded behind the door, Claire had the urge to slam it in Wesker's now smirking face.

"What do you want, Wesker?"

The man's smirk was replaced with his usual detached expression as he checked his watch.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news, regarding the animal you encountered."

Wesker explained, his tone formal.

"I'll need to explain inside. I can of course, wait here whilst you make yourself…_presentable."_

Claire didn't think it was possible, but she felt her blush intensify.

"Fine." She mumbled, before fulfilling her previous wishes, and slamming the door in his face.

Claire leaned against the now closed door, wishing she'd grabbed a dressing gown.

'_Seriously, why me?'_

Due to the mans ever-present sunglasses, Claire couldn't be sure exactly where Wesker's eyes were focused during that short - highly embarrassing- encounter, but she had a feeling he hadn't been observing her face. At least not the entire time, anyway.

The young girl took a few steadying breaths, before heading to her room, to change.

'_Jeans and a black Tee, That'll do.'_

As she pulled the top over her head, Claire caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She approached the mirror closer, scowling at her reflection. Claire had always hated her hair down, and right now her chestnut hair fully framed her face, it was wild, messy and…Sticking up at the back!?

The young girl hid her face in her hands. Had she really faced Wesker, looking the way she did?

Claire grabbed a brush, pulling her hair into a ponytail before heading downstairs to let Wesker in.

The two stood in the living room, Claire silently appreciating her new outfit.

"Can I get you a drink, Wesker?" She asked, getting a feeling of déjà vu.

"Coffee." he replied, as he took a seat at the dining table.

"Black, no sugar, right?" the brunette asked, wondering how on earth he could drink something so bitter.

"Yes, Claire. My preferences have not changed overnight."

The brunette gave him an icy stare before turning sharply and heading to the kitchen.

Claire made Wesker's coffee, secretly wishing she had some poison handy, before pouring herself some orange and returning to the living room. The young girl was silent as she placed Wesker's coffee on the table.

"No Batman mug this time?" Wesker asked Claire as she took a seat.

"No-" Claire began, as she made herself comfortable.

"Chris insisted we burn it." The young girl took a sip of her orange, before continuing.

"Cut to the chase, Wesker. What's happened?" The girls tone went from snappy to caring as she asked the question.

"Has someone been attacked?"

Claire listened closely as Wesker explained what had happened, her stomach churning at the information. The entire room seemed to go cold as she heard about the victim, the teenage girl: Madison.

'_That could have been me.'_

"Is…Did they find the animal?" Claire tried to remain calm as she asked the question. The last thing she wanted to do was act emotional in front of Wesker.

"No, the search is ongoing." Wesker explained, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Therefore, it is highly important that you tell me everything you can."

Claire nodded, watching as Wesker placed his coffee back onto the table. The strong scent of the drink surrounding her, the aroma blending with Wesker's cologne. It was a rather pleasant combination.

"Okay, I'm ready for you." The brunette's eyes went wide as she realized what she had just said.

"To ask the questions!" She corrected, stammering slightly, her blush reappearing at Wesker's raised eyebrow.

'_Seriously, brain, work with me here!'_

The questioning look that Wesker was giving Claire made her wish the ground would swallow her, or that the universe would implode - anything that would allow her sudden disappearance.

"Ready for you to ask the questions." Claire clarified once more, her voice slightly shaky.

She watched as Wesker leaned forwards slightly, resting his chin on interlocked fingers.

"Is something the matter, dearheart? You seem uneasy." He asked the question with the slightest of smirks.

His tone was teasing but Claire kept her gaze focused on him, mentally willing her blush not to deepen. The young girl decided she was getting _seriously _sick of blushing around this man.

"It's early." She offered, gathering herself.

"I'm just tired."

Wesker observed her quietly a few moments more, his smirk still present, before finally retrieving the statement booklet from his pocket and placing it on the table.

Claire was amazed at how well the interview went. Her mouth and her brain had actually managed to connect, preventing her from saying any other totally brain dead statements - something she was incredibly grateful for.

As she watched Wesker pack the paperwork away, she silently prayed that the information would be helpful.

"I really hope you find it." Claire told him earnestly. When she thought of the animal out there: killing, It made her skin crawl.

'_Being ripped to pieces by a crazed dog. Fuck that for a way to go.'_

"Considering that chief Whitehall has the Alpha team working on the case, the animal will most likely be apprehended soon." Wesker explained to Claire, eliciting a nod from her.

"The…Alpha team?" Claire asked, a small frown settling on her face.

"I realize it's dangerous, but surely the regular cops could handle it." The young girls frown deepened.

"Why are the special tactics squad on the case?"

Wesker stopped packing away, instead turning to focus on Claire.

"My thoughts exactly." He agreed.

"The chief however, believes the case requires the alphas expertise, as he deems it: _Suspicious_." The blond man said the last word as though he thought it absurd.

"But you're the captain of the Alpha team." Claire argued, feeling fairly annoyed that the Alpha's were working on a case that wasn't worth their time.

"Surely you can make Whitehall see sense!"

Wesker stood, making to leave but keeping his focus on Claire.

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me, Claire-" He replied, checking his watch.

"But I'm afraid my word means next to nothing against Whitehall's."

Whilst the young girl disagreed, she decided not to press the matter, offering a small nod instead.

As the brunette accompanied Wesker to the door, she couldn't help but feel relief. Wesker was leaving, she could relax. Claire wasn't sure why, but her brain function seemed to seriously decrease around this man.

"Thank you for your time, Claire."

"No problem." Claire replied, opening the door for Wesker.

"I just hope no-one else gets hurt." The young girl watched as Wesker left, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight.

"I wouldn't worry to much." The blond man assured her, readjusting his sunglasses as he turned to face her once more.

"There are strict curfews in place to prevent any further casualties." Wesker's tone was emotionless, giving Claire the feeling that he wasn't overly concerned about further possible casualties. She decided he was reassuring her, strictly due to protocol. She watched the man leave before closing the door and heading inside.

'_Well, that went well.'_

Claire checked the time, eight thirty. Realizing that it was too late to go back to bed, She decided she would head over to Emmy's. The young girl had hoped to get a part time job during her stay in Raccoon, save mooching off her brother.

After a quick shower and some breakfast, Claire was ready to go.

* * *

Chris Redfield was bored. Really bored.

The S.T.A.R.S office was empty, save for himself and Brad. When their captain had phoned in to say he would be late, he had given the Alpha's permission to come to work at eight thirty, providing they had finished their paperwork. Unfortunately, Chris and Brad hadn't, and so for the unlucky pair, it was a seven o' clock start as usual.

He leaned back in his chair, putting some distance between himself and the computer screen that he had been staring at for the last hour. He knew he should be working: finishing his reports, filing statements and one-hundred and one other tasks that made him want to take his own life, but right now his mind was elsewhere.

Chris's thoughts kept returning to one subject: Claire. He hated when he and his sister argued, and truth be told, they rarely did. He sighed, pushing his chair away from the desk and getting up. As he walked over to the coffee machine, he decided that he would make it up to Claire tonight. He'd get her favourite take-out on the way home and let Claire choose a film for the two to watch. He knew she'd probably choose something crappy, but decided he didn't care, he had been fairly harsh with his lecture last night and Chris knew he owed her.

"Why do you think the captain's late?" Brad asked Chris as he took a sip of his coffee,

"Swearing allegiance to the devil each morning probably takes time." The brunette replied, walking back to his chair.

"I'm just surprised he hasn't been late before." Chris said as he sat down. When Brad didn't reply, he decided to change the subject.

"So how did your date with Mary go?" Chris asked Brad, one eyebrow raised.

Chris half listened to his team mate as he explained how well his date had gone. Whilst Chris wasn't truly listening, he was grateful for the distraction. The man really couldn't be bothered with paperwork right now.

Brad's talking was cut off, however, as Joseph Frost entered the office.

"Redfield." Joe greeted, as he headed to his desk.

"Chicken Heart." He acknowledged with a grin as he sat in his chair.

Chris watched as Brad hid his face behind the computer, obviously not wanting to deal with Joseph right now.

Joseph leaned towards Chris, beckoning for him to do the same.

"Have you heard the news about why the captains late?" He half whispered through a grin, as though it were a conspiracy.

"Apparently-" Joseph began, looking around as though people may be listening.

"Sarah, the new secretary, saw Wesker leave with some hot, young thing, last night." Chris frowned.

'_Wesker and a girl… since when did…wait, no!' _

"So I reckon Wesker got some late night action, and that's why…"

"Shut up, Joe." Chris warned as his mind began to produce some seriously unwanted mental images.

"What? I'm just saying, if I was at it with a young girl like that, I doubt I'd be up for work the next morn-" Joseph's sentence was sharply cut off as Chris grasped his shirt collar with a fist, dragging the man to face him, as he stood from his chair.

"That-" He spat through gritted teeth.

"Is my sister you're talking about." Joseph's eyes went wide with shock as he heard the brunette's words.

"Woah, dude! Sorry." He said quickly, releasing himself from Chris's grasp.

"How was I supposed to know your sister's dating the captain?"

Chris wasn't sure which he was more annoyed about, the fact that Joseph had escaped his grasp, or the fact that he just insinuated that their asshole of a captain was dating his sister. Chris decided it was the fact that Joseph was now listing reasons why it was okay for Claire to be dating an older man. Before he could control his temper, Chris's fist connected with Joseph's jaw.

"Shut up, Joe!" Chris repeated, as he once again grabbed the man by his collar.

"My sister is not, nor will she ever be, in a relationship with that prick: Wesker." His words were poisonous as he yelled at his colleague.

"And why don't you and Sarah try minding your own damn business!" Chris's eyes were hard as he stared at Joseph, silently challenging the man to retaliate. Joseph however, freed himself from Chris's grasp, much to the brunette's annoyance, and straightened his red bandanna.

"First of all-" Joseph growled, regaining his composure.

"Ouch." He said, rubbing his jaw.

"And second of all, I'm not the only one who came to the conclusion they were hooking up, _everyone_ thinks Wesker's got a new gal."

Chris could feel his blood boiling. Did people really have nothing better to do than gossip?

Chris was ready to punch Joseph again, when Barry and Jill entered the office. He kept his venomous gaze on Joseph however, as he heard Jill's concerned tone.

"Hey guys, I've got your coffee…_What's happened_?"

Chris took a few deep breaths.

"I need some air." He growled to no-one in particular, before turning sharply and leaving the office.

Chris sat on the small bench outside of the S.T.A.R.S office, silently trying to calm his temper. He could hear his team mates through the half open door, Barry's deep voice reaching the hallway as he lectured Joseph.

As Chris eventually felt the last of his rage ebb away, he heard footsteps heading his way. The brunette turned, and saw the last person on earth he wanted to deal with right now, walking towards him.

"In the office, Chris." Wesker commanded, nearing him.

"Why are you late?" Chris asked bluntly, deciding he wasn't in the mood for following orders. He waited as Wesker stopped, turning to face him.

"Must I repeat myself?" Wesker asked coolly, his expression neutral.

"Must I repeat _myself_?" The brunette countered, standing to face the captain, not caring about the consequences.

"Why are you late?"

"If you must know-" Wesker said, through something Chris could only describe as a snarl.

"I was with Claire."

The world seemed to stop. Chris stared back at his captain, blinking a lot more than necessary.

"My sister?" He asked, hoping to hell the answer was no.

"Yes, Christopher." Wesker replied, his tone laced with impatience.

"Unless there is another Claire we both know."

'_Sarcastic prick.'_

"What the hell-" Chris began slowly, his fists clenching.

"Were you doing with Claire."

Chris watched, his temper rising as Wesker sighed.

"Your sister-" The man began, taking a step towards Chris.

"Saw a rather dangerous animal last night. I had to visit Claire in order to get a formal statement from her, regarding said animal." Although Chris was relieved to hear nothing sordid had taken place between the two, he wasn't overly pleased with the patronizing tone that Wesker was using to tell him.

"The statement is vital to today's case, which believe it or not, I would like to discuss at some point." The blond man said, gesturing toward the office door.

Chris knew the captain wanted to end the conversation, but he didn't care, he wanted some more answers.

"But Claire never mentioned any animal…"

"Yes, well I would imagine the opportunity to tell you never arrived, what with you yelling at her."

Chris wasn't keen on the captains tone. No scratch that, he fucking _hated_ it. The brunette had never liked the way Wesker talked down to him, but now he was lecturing him on the way he brought his sister up?

'_Not on.'_

"Of course I was yelling her, she was putting her fucking life at risk!" The hallway had gone eerily silent, the chatter from the S.T.A.R.S office had stopped, Chris knew his team mates were listening, he didn't care.

"She's my sister for fuck sake, if she's driving without a helmet, putting her life at stake, _of course _I'm gonna' yell! I care about her." Chris managed to calm himself a little, before continuing.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Wesker, considering you only give a shit about yourself." As soon as he'd said it, Chris regretted it. The icy look his captain was giving him, made the brunette certain he was about to die.

"You're doing the rest of the Alpha's paperwork for a week, Redfield." Wesker informed him, his tone deadly.

"And as her brother, the decent thing to do would have been to wait until I had left, before showing her how much you…_care_."

Chris bit his tongue as he watched Wesker enter the S.T.A.R.S office. It took everything the man had to keep from calling his captain every name under the sun - But he managed to control his temper, somehow. Chris took a few moments to calm himself, before finally entering the office.

Chris felt the last of his rage disappear however, as he sat at his desk. Jill valentine was sitting at her own desk, opposite his, gracing him with a concerned smile, one of the most beautiful he had ever seen.

* * *

The sound of marker pen on white board could be heard throughout the silent S.T.A.R.S office. Jill valentine watched as Wesker wrote the main information of the current case onto the board in his meticulously neat handwriting. The female's eyes wandered, as she waited for Wesker to finish and begin the briefing. The Alpha's didn't have to wait long however, as their captain stopped writing, and began handing each of them a folder.

"Nineteen year old girl found deceased in the west of Raccoon woods at 11:04." Wesker handed Jill her file, and continued to brief them on the investigation.

"Time of death estimated between 10:00 and 10:15. Cause of death: suspected animal attack." Jill opened the file Wesker had handed her, and came face to face with a photo of the dead girl.

'_Madison.'_

Jill felt her insides turn to ice.

'_Not Madison.'_

She stared down at the photo, feeling as though she were trapped in a nightmare. She wanted to look away, but couldn't. The lifeless brown eyes of the girl stared up at Jill, as if begging for help. Her once blonde hair, encrusted with blood and dirt. Jill's eyes swept over the array of scratches that covered the body, various lumps of flesh missing from what were unmistakably bite marks.

"No indication of human interference…" Wesker's words washed over Jill as she surveyed the photo, lost in her own thoughts. The memories of the young girl that she had come to know, the way her eyes would light up when she smiled, were shattered as she looked on at the agonized expression that was etched onto her pale, bloodied face.

'No._' _Jill whispered, covering the picture from sight. She didn't want to remember her that way- The empty body she had just seen was no longer Madison.

"So-" Wesker stated, clearly finished with his briefing, which Jill realized she hadn't been listening to.

"You have until tomorrow before we discuss theories, hopefully coming to a conclusion. Until then, initial thoughts?"

Jill knew she should have listened to Wesker's words, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Right now she just wanted out, out of the room that had suddenly become icily cold.

"Uh, yeah I've got a theory." Joseph's voice echoed in Jill's ears.

"An infected animal killed a civilian. Instrument of murder, I'm guessing…it's teeth." Jill turned to face Joseph, sickened by how blunt he was being.

"What the hell are we investigating here, we got the killer. Surely this is a job for the pound." The room went silent as the Alpha's awaited their captains reply.

"You're right." Well she wasn't expecting that. Jill didn't think she'd ever heard the captain use those words, not in that context anyway.

"Our expertise would be far more productive focused elsewhere. Chief Whitehall, however, believes otherwise."

"Wait, Whitehall's got us on the case?" Joseph's tone was confused.

"Why?" He asked the captain, only to get an answer from Barry.

"He knew the girl." Barry's tone was sombre as he explained to Joe, and the rest of the team.

"She was friends with his daughter. Guess he's not thinking clearly."

"Precisely." Wesker agreed, placing the marker down.

"He seems to think that there is something suspicious about the case. Clearly delusional with grief." As she listened to Wesker's words, Jill couldn't help but feel defensive of Whitehall. He'd been around almost as long as the R.P.D itself, he was kind, smart and one hell of an officer. If he thought there was something suspicious about this case, then Jill agreed with him.

"So unfortunately, until Whitehall see's sense, we're stuck with the investigation." The captain stated dryly, retrieving the marker pen.

Jill never uttered a word for the hour that the Alpha's spent theorizing. The woman was relieved when their lunch break finally arrived, she had been longing for some fresh air throughout the entire discussion.

The female cop excused herself from the Alpha's usual trip to the R.P.D cafeteria, feigning a headache and headed straight to the outdoor area of the police station.

Jill valentine spent the entirety of her lunch break secluded and alone as she grieved the loss of her young friend Madison.

* * *

The meeting had gone far better than he expected. Wesker had initially thought that the Alpha's would need more convincing that Whitehall's claims that the case was 'suspicious' were unreliable. His plan to downplay the chiefs claims had not been needed however, as Barry and Joseph had completed his task for him. Not that it was a difficult task to disprove the chief's claims - talk had already been getting around the R.P.D that Whitehall was: "Too old for the job." and: "Loosing his touch."

As he sat at his desk in the now empty S.T.A.R.S office, Wesker felt the tiniest spark of anger. He shouldn't have to disprove Whitehall's claims. What good was his role in the police force, if there was someone who overruled him? The whole reason he had become captain of the Alpha team was to stop investigations like this, but how could he with that ignoramus: Whitehall around? As he retrieved the case file from his desk, Wesker decided Whitehall would have to go. He would inform Umbrella of the problem the man posed, and leave it to them to replace him. Whether they killed him or not, he didn't much care, he just wanted him gone.

The only sound that could be heard in the office was the rustling of paper as Wesker flicked through the various files, stopping on one document in particular: Claire Redfield's witness report.

As he thought back to the mornings interview, he couldn't suppress a small chuckle. Wesker found it truly amusing how flustered the young girl would become in his presence - not to mention how easy it was to make her blush. Wesker leaned back in his chair.

'_Redfield the younger.' _The man scoffed. It was obvious she was related to that oaf: Christopher. Apart from their highly dissimilar looks, the two practically shared a personality. She was rash, unorganized and she clearly possessed her brother's temper. She was, however, incredibly calm regarding the news of the teenager's death - something Wesker was thankful for.

The blond man checked his watch, only thirty minutes until the Bravo's would be arriving. The two S.T.A.R.S. teams shared an office, and the Alpha's were scheduled for combat training next, leaving the office free for the Bravo's. Wesker let out a sigh, he had rather been enjoying his solitude. He cleared the paperwork from his desk, before heading to the sports hall, a small smirk spreading across his lips at the memory of Claire's 'outfit' when she had greeted him. Yes - Wesker noted that the two Redfields were _highly_ different in their looks. As he headed towards the sports hall, Wesker wondered _just_ how much he could make the young girl blush. He decided he would find out the next time he saw her.

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh, a touch of drama in this chapter, haha. ^^**

**Had a lot of fun writing this chapter, I hope you enjoyed reading it. :) **


End file.
